ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/12 November) – Two people were killed while 11 others, including four barangay officials, were wounded in two grenade attacks in this city, police officials said Tuesday.
Chief Insp. Ariel Huesca, Police Regional Office-9 information officer said the incident took place around 8 p.m. Monday in Barangay Ayala.
Killed were barangay secretary Vita Ebol and Elvic Gregorio. Both were candidates for barangay kagawads.
Five of the 11 wounded victims were identified as Barangay Chair Diosterides Libredo, his wife, Novelita and Barangay Kagawads Alex Macapili, Edgar Enriquez and Darlene Padernal.
The rest of the wounded victims were the driver, utility man, a member of the Barangay Intelligence Network and relatives or supporters of the incumbent barangay officials.
Huesca said the victims were having a meeting in Libredo’s home one of two men aboard a motorcycle tossed two grenades and sped off.
The meeting was in preparation for the forthcoming special barangay elections in this city in November 25.
The Commission on Elections postponed the barangay election in Zamboanga City due to the standoff between government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front-Misuari faction in September which displaced thousands of residents.
Senior Insp. Edilberto Alvarez, commander of police station 9 said none of the victims were able to recognize the attackers since there was a brownout at the time to the incident.
Alvarez said the victims even thought at first that the attackers stoned the residence of the barangay chairman.
Meanwhile, three people were wounded when gunmen ambushed a passenger bus late Monday in Barangay Baga, Naga town in Zamboanga Sibugay province, Huesca said.
The police official said the bus, owned by the Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. was en route to Pagadian City when ambushed around 8:45 p.m.
He said the bus came from this city and had just made a stopover in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
Huesca identified the victims as Ramon Navalta, driver; Danilo Fuentes, 32, conductor; and, Ailyn Camos, a passenger bound for Pagadian.
He said Navalta, although wounded, managed to drive the bus towards Pathfinder Hospital in the nearby Kabasalan town, Zamboanga Sibugay. (MindaNews)
